Due to the difficulties that students of color face in schools, Dr. Muhammad Khalifa wrote the book “Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL),” which focuses on how school leaders can respond to the educational needs of minoritized students. Khalifa identified four key elements that contribute to culturally responsive school leadership. These components include critical self-reflection in leadership, school climate culture and student identity issues, community engagement, and instructional leadership and professional learning community (Khalifa, 2019, 00.03:28-00.04:29). In my opinion, the first three components are the most critical for culturally responsive school leadership. The components ensure a regression academic leadership that benefits the most marginalized students.
Critical self-reflection in leadership is essential since it focuses on learning to critique and being willing to recognize that you, intentionally or unintentionally, have been equally guilty in sidelining some students. According to the speaker, there are equity issues in marginalization within institutions that have nothing to do with the classroom, for instance, how the student feels in the school (Khalifa, 2019, 00:06:27-00:06:41). Therefore, school leaders can assist students of color by forming an equitable collaboration with others in the school to determine what learning is required (Khalifa, 2019). Developing a thorough understanding of the community one serve allows teachers to examine themselves and determine how they should approach marginalized students of color.
School leaders should become involved in their communities by learning about and understanding the cultural backgrounds of the students they serve. One strategy would be to restructure the school budget so teachers can interact with the community (Khalifa, 2019). Leadership, in my opinion, should be done in ways that are inclusive of all students and accept all identities into the school culture. Students, families, and the community can tell if there is a hostile environment at school (Khalifa, 2019). As a result of cultural change, students of color feel marginalized, and leaders must ensure that the setting is welcoming to students.
In brief, being culturally responsive is more than just teaching; leadership, too, is an essential element. Essentially, it requires all the effort of the school community and the school leadership. Institutional marginalization has equity difficulties, such as how learners feel at school, besides the standard curriculum requirements. Therefore, students in the classroom need guidance since many do not know how to go about their studies
Reference
Khalifa, M. (2019). LE 95: How to be a culturally responsive school leader with Dr. Muhammad Khalifa. Leading equity [Audio podcast episode]. Web.